Clarity
by NightWhisper184
Summary: They argue with each other, insult each other, and just generally annoy each other to no end, but they somehow always find their way back to where they started: with each other. [Collection of unrelated one-shots]
1. Diffraction

**This began as an experiment in descriptive writing, no fandom or ship intended. Somehow, this came of it. Maybe people will enjoy it, maybe not. Either way, it sure was fun to write ;)**

* * *

Lightning lances across the night sky, briefly illuminating the Operations Room in ghostly flashes. Shadows leap up the walls and stretch across the floor. Their dark fingers roll over the couch and television in waves like low tide and high tide. Thunder alternatively rumbles and booms, and the pitter-patter of rain drums a dreary tune on the windows. Electricity shivers in the air, nearly tangible to the skin, from the autumn storm.

_If I knew you and you knew me—_

_If both of us could clearly see,_

The thunder drowns out a mechanical hiss as the room's only door slides open to reveal a shadowed figure. She glances around the darkened room, wincing at the sudden crack of lightning, and quietly pads down the steps to the kitchen. Pale gray hands rise to rub arms clothed in black, hidden beneath her cloak.

_And with an inner sight divine_

_The meaning of your heart and mine—_

The cabinet door creaks as she opens it to withdraw a box of herbal tea bags. Knotted brows relaxing at the sight of her favorite flavoring, she snatches up the bag and returns the others to the cabinet before bending to search for the teapot.

_I'm sure that we would differ less_

_And clasp our hands in friendliness;_

While the water boils, she casts her gaze around the shadow-clad room, aided by the flashes of lightning. Violet eyes lands on the plates and cups piled high all around the kitchen. Nose wrinkling in displeasure, she waves her hand at the cutlery. Negative energy silently crackles in the air as it attaches to the dirty dishes, lifting them and flying them towards the dishwasher. Thin, pale lips flatten in satisfaction.

The teapot whistles.

_Our thoughts would pleasantly agree_

_If I knew you, and you knew me._

Teacup in hand and hood pushed down to her shoulders, she settles on the couch to watch the storm. Minutes pass, and the lightning ceases. Thunder rumbles in the distance, while the rain continues to cascade down the windows. The wavering waterfall soothes the night's dreams from her mind.

_If I knew you and you knew me,_

_As each one knows his own self, we _

Steam rises from the teacup and warms her face as she holds it close, savoring the heat and scent. Heavy eyelids drift down, and her mantra weaves through wispy thoughts.

_...Azarath...Metrion...Zinthos...Azarath...Metrion...Zinthos...Azarath...Metrion...Zinthos... _

Behind her, the door swishes open and a teammate shuffles towards her. The steps are heavy but not "clumpy," and her empathy senses that guilt and weariness, rather than weight, give them their load.

_Could look each other in the face_

_And see therein a truer grace._

"If you're here to apologize, don't bother," she voices without turning to face him. "I've already overlooked your inanity as an innate flaw of your character and deduced that you simply can't help acting like an idiot nearly every day of your life."

The footsteps pause. "Uhhh...thanks? I think."

_Life has so many hidden woes,_

_So many thorns for every rose;_

Above the rim of her teacup, her lips curl into something resembling a smile. "Now go back to bed. History proves you incapable of coherent speech or thought without a decent night's rest, and I won't be held accountable for my actions today during training."

"Ahh, right, right... 'Night then, Rae."

_The "why" of things our hearts would see,_

_If I knew you and you knew me._

Only after the door closes behind him does she exhale. "Goodnight, Beast Boy."

_Sweet dreams._

* * *

**The poem is "To Know All Is To Forgive All" by Nixon Waterman. This is the only chapter with a poem. **

**_Diffraction_ - The ability of waves to bend around corners. The diffraction of light establishes its wave nature.**


	2. Event Horizon

When he cries out, the shock and pain cracking his voice, her heart freezes.

_No_, it whispers. _Not him. _

Heedless of Robin's call—the underlying shake betraying his firm façade—she darts around Jinx, speeding towards him.

All she can think of is that stupid joke he had made early this morning. Why hadn't she allowed her lips to curl upwards? She had felt his eyes on her, felt his excitement and anxiety swirling in the air as he awaited her reaction. Then, when she retorted something about him having killed his last brain cell thinking up that stupidity, his disappointment had nearly overpowered her.

Jinx somersaults out of the way with a startled "Watch it!" However, when she notices his still, broken form lying on the ground, even her voice quakes.

"Mammoth! What did you do? I said no casualties!" she hisses, dropping to the ground and backing towards her teammate.

His reply is lost in the stampede of Titans headed for their fallen comrade.

A dull static creeps over Raven's ears as she kneels beside him. The edges of her cape gently settle around him, shielding him from the other's view. Her team's worries fade into the fog and her vision narrows until he's the only one she sees. Emotions fluctuating between calmness and numbness, she scans his shock-ridden body for injuries.

Her gaze locks on the gash slashing his forehead, the blood blossoming out from the edges, and his left arm, splayed backwards above his head. A knobby point pushes against the skin near his elbow. Though the skin isn't torn, she knows what it means, what it all means.

"Oh, _Beast Boy_," she breathes.

.

.

Even before he opens his eyes, he knows she's there.

Lingering in the air is the smell of lavender and incense, which he can detect even through the sharpness of antiseptics and disinfectants.

"Hey," he manages to croak, throat raw and gritty. It's enough.

She gives him her sort of smile, all pressed lips and quick action. "Hey."

* * *

**Next chapter sets the tone for what the rest of the story is like, style-wise.**

**_Event Horizon_ - Imaginary spherical surface surrounding a collasping star, within which no event can be seen, heard, or known about by an outside observer.**


	3. Fluorescence

**Thanks to:**

**TigerLily957 for the favorite and review**

**kyky3601 for the follow and favorite**

**The Darkneon Flash for the follow**

**Green Bunny for the follow and review**

**GameLord 4BritishBronies for the follow and favorite**

**FireyWhiteWolf for the the follow**

**De Logan for the follow**

* * *

She has long brown hair and the brightest green eyes he's ever seen. A smattering of freckles wink at him from the bridge of her nose and her gently blushing cheeks, while bangs sweep across her forehead and dip towards arched eyebrows. Her choice in clothes reflects her personality, all airy scarves and floaty sundresses. It's a good look on her, and he remembers his jaw dropping when she dazzled him with a smile across the restaurant's table.

_She's beautiful_, he thinks.

_I can't believe this is happening_, he thinks.

_She really likes me_, he thinks.

_Dude, now I gotta sell my soul to Cyborg for making that online dating profile_, he thinks.

When her cell phone—pastel yellow, decorated with a flowery cover—rings, he doesn't react other than to smile and nod at her "Excuse me for a second" look. He nearly swallows his tongue watching her glide away to a quiet corner. The wink she gives him sends his heart into overdrive, and he gulps down his glass of water before he has a heart attack.

He has always had good hearing, even before the accident. Now, though, with his animalistic abilities, he can hear conversations all over the restaurant, even out into the street if he concentrates hard enough. So it's not his fault he overhears her friend's breathless voice on the other end of the line.

"_What's going on? Are you at the restaurant yet?"_

"Yeah, we just got here. Oh my gosh, I nearly fainted when he pulled out my chair for me. He's such a gentleman, not at all like Kurt! But it was kind of embarrassing when he ordered a salad and I ordered a steak."

"_He ordered a salad? _Really_? Such a dweeb." _

"And he ordered a _water_, Kim. A _water_. In _this_ restaurant."

"_No!"_

"Uh huh. But I guess it's kind of cute, you know, in a 2003 kind of way."

It becomes difficult to swallow. Licking his lips, he reaches for his glass again, which the waiter has only just refilled, and chugs it without pausing for breath.

What did that even mean, "in a 2003 kind of way"? Honestly, he would never understand girls.

"_So have you two made-out yet?"_

Everything in his stomachs threatens to do the tango with his tongue. The waiter shoots him a "Don't you dare vomit on that tablecloth, Mister!" look before darting to the kitchen.

"No, not yet, but it won't be long. He's practically salivating over me. Tell Miranda to get that twenty bucks ready 'cause I'm about to land myself a superhero."

And that's when all the oxygen in the room decides to vacation in Disney Land without him.

.

.

As soon as she sees his face, she knows something went wrong. With his abilities, it's always been difficult to pin down his emotions on good days, but now, her empathy is metaphorically cross-eyed from the array of emotions rolling off him.

"Wha—"

"I don't want to talk about it," he snaps, bumping her shoulder as he brushes past her towards his room.

Stunned, she blinks at the empty hallway ahead. Then, without thinking about it further, she spins around and extends a black, crackling hand to grab his shoulder. It tugs him around to face her, and she is exposed to the darkest scowl she's ever seen on his face.

"What's your problem?" she demands coolly.

Lips curled in a snarl, he jerks backwards from her grip. "_My_ problem? What's _yours_? I said I didn't want to talk about, so just _drop_ _it_ already."

Her eyes scan him swiftly. The fact that he is still in the tuxedo he borrowed from Robin—without asking, of course—means he didn't "morph" during his date, having refused to wear his uniform underneath it. Every carefully gelled piece of hair is still glued in place, which in itself would be an impressive feat if it had been anything less than Robin's hair gel—once again, he hadn't bothered with a silly thing like permission—, and there isn't so much as a scuff on his shiny black shoes.

_He doesn't even look as if he's been out on a date with a hot girl. And the fact that I can tell is just sad. I really have to cut down on my "girl time" with Starfire. It's messing with my head._

It's never been in her nature to give up without a fight, and now is no exception.

"Tell me what happened before I have to force it out of you," she says, raising an eyebrow archly. "I just washed this cloak and I'd hate to get blood on it again."

_Again? Gee, thanks, Rae. Now I have something else to haunt my nightmares tonight, but hey, anything for a little variety, right? _

Despite himself, the corner of his mouth twitches against his scowl. "Nothing happened, Rae. I went on a date and now I'm back. End of story."

_She hurt you. _

Her eyes narrow and before she can stop herself, she informs him, "I know a nearly infinite amount of places to hide her dead body where it will never be found."

The ghost of a grin plays on his newly relaxed lips as he asks, "Are you volunteering your services or asking if I need your help covering something up?"

It must be the lighting in the hallway, because he could have sworn he just saw her smile.

"I suppose that depends on whether she's still alive."

And it's so strange, but he doesn't even care about Alicia Abernickey anymore. All he can think of is that brief glimpse of the Raven no one ever gets to experience in full, the Raven she hides behind detachment and sarcasm. Thinking about how he was the one to draw her out makes him feel as if he could take on the entire Brotherhood of Evil by himself.

A laugh bubbles out of him as he treats her to his usual crooked grin. "Thanks, Rae. You always know what to say to make me feel better."

_Not always._

She shrugs. "Whatever. The offer still stands, by the way. Say the word and the world is down one floozy with none the wiser."

"_Dude_! Did you really just say 'floozy'? Aw, man, Cybrog's gonna _freak_! He totally owes me five bucks."

_Welcome back, Garfield._

* * *

**I'm finding these oddly fun to write, maybe even more so than my multi-chap projects! If ya'll have any requests or comments, feel free to tell me :)**

**_Fluorescence_ - Phenomenon where an atom absorbs energy, then radiates photons of lower energy as it cascades back down to the ground state; in astronomy, often produced as ultraviolet photons from a hot ****young ****star are absorbed by a neutral gas, causing some of the gas atoms to be excited and give off an optical (red) glow.**


	4. Line of Nodes

**Thanks to:**

**Dis-appearing Winter for the review and follow**

**CristianBj11 for the follow, favorite, and follow**

**MusicRocks807 for the review**

**The self-proclaimed "not special" Reviewer-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named for the review ;) I couldn't resist.**

* * *

The barely risen sun peaks through the windows to shine upon her up-turned face. One hand gently rises and touches the glass as if to feel the rays on her skin. Eyes closed and lips relaxed into an unobtrusive smile, she allows herself to forget about the stress of battle and just breathe.

This early in the morning, only she and Robin are awake, and with him holed up in the evidence room after grabbing a cup of his customary black coffee, she has the Ops. room to herself. The silence is tranquil, so much so that she finds herself tempted to go back to sleep on the couch behind her.

_I haven't felt this at ease in months. Must be the new tea._

It is a gift from Beast Boy, an apology of sorts for accidentally spilling his soda all over her antique book, which she had only recently bought from Books Most Rare on Third Street.

"_I'm really sorry, Rae!"_

"_Yeah, well, that doesn't negate the damage to the book, does it? Ugh, you are such an oaf!"_

"_If I knew what that meant, I'm sure I'd be very offended! Seriously, Rae, how can I make it up to you?"_

"_Building a time travel machine and going back twenty minutes ago would be a _splendid_ start." _

"_Aw, come on!" _

The memory causes her smile to widen ruefully.

It took her two days to forgive him, but when she saw how much trouble he had undergone to find the one flavor of tea she hadn't tried yet, something in her broke away from anger and was astonished at his actions. The look he gave her, so sheepish and hopeful, hiding a touch of genuine fear, instantly melted her glare.

_And now Cyborg won't stop shooting me sly grins, as if he knows something I don't—which is ridiculous. It's just too much of a hassle to stay mad at Beast Boy. He only annoys me more when he knows I'm angry with him, trying to apologize and doing asinine things to make it up to me. Besides, he usually ends up only making it worse instead of better and I'd rather he not destroy another book or I might have to actually kill him. _

Her eyes slid open regretfully.

The sun is nearly above the water's edge now, meaning it won't be long before Cyborg and Starfire awaken. Ten is usually the earliest Beast Boy wakes up unless a battle forces him; even then, he is clumsier than usual, though somehow still manages to defeat his opponents without serious injury to himself.

_It will come a time when he isn't so lucky. It only takes one mistake. _

Shaking the thought from her head, she quietly pads to the couch and picks up the book she was reading yesterday.

As if buying her that new tea wasn't been enough, Beast Boy actually went to the effort of tracking down another copy of the book he ruined. It is slightly more worn, the leather cover tattered and the spine nearly broken, but the elegantly penned writing is legible and it doesn't fall apart in her hands.

_Okay, so maybe he's not such an idiot after all._

A thunderous crash echoes through the Tower, nearly shaking the walls.

"BEAST BOY! YOU ARE _SO_ DEAD, MAN!"

She sighs and flicks her thumb through the pages until she finds the place she stopped yesterday. "And here I was thinking one had to say something aloud for it to be jinxed."

* * *

**This chapter isn't my favorite, mainly because of the lack of Beast Boy. Next chapter will have him and Raven together ag****ain.**

**Line of Nodes - Intersection of the plane of the Moon's orbit with Earth's orbital plane. **


	5. Inertia

**Thanks to:**

**Reviewer-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named / Green Bunny for the review. Yep ;) And thanks! I'm just now getting the hang of it myself, though I occasionally slip back into Dullsville hehe. **

**MusicRocks807 for the review. Hope you like it! Beast Boy is back, as promised :)**

**prettyflower34 for the follow**

**The StripedHatter for the follow**

**live laugh love izzy for the favorite. Sorry, it won't let me add the . between the words. **

* * *

The watery horizon is flooded with reds, pinks, and gentle oranges as the sun sinks below its ridge. A flock of seagulls swoops over his head and skims the water with their wingtips, two diving beneath the surface before bursting upwards with mouths full of wiggling fish. An incoming wave crashes against the shore and sprays him with sea-foam. The salt water mixes with the tears slipping down his cheeks, which he furiously scrubs away every few seconds.

_Pathetic._

The funny thing is, if it had been anyone else, it might not have been as bad. It would have hurt, it always did, but not like this—not like he had been punched in the gut and then, when he was down, kicked in the side.

"I hate her," he mutters to the three seagulls perched on a nearby rock. "I mean it—I really do."

Their beady eyes latch onto him and they squawk reproachfully. One seagull wobbles over and jabs him in the side with its beak, madly flapping its wings in his face.

_Liar. _

He shoos it away with his fiercest scowl. "Oh, shut up. What do you know? You're just a dumb bird."

A boot sole scuffs the rock a few feet away from him. "You could say the same for me, I suppose."

Limbs flailing and scrambling for purchase on the slippery rock, he twists around to face her. The sudden movement nearly sends him in the water, but a small, gray hand snags his arm at the last second. It lingers there even when he straightens. After regaining his breath and shoving his organs back in their proper places, he scowls.

"What do you want?"

Now, her hand does slip off his arm, withdrawing into the folds of her cloak. Something flashes in her violet eyes, but it vanishes before he can identify it.

The corner of her mouth quirks into an almost painful looking half-smile. "You're welcome."

Words bubble out of him from somewhere dark, and he can't contain a snarl as he thrusts his face close to hers, demanding, "For what? Saving me from falling? It's your fault for creeping up on me. Or maybe you meant 'you're welcome' for calling me—what were the words you used—a 'no-good simpleton too stupid and meddlesome to stay out of other people's business'? Or maybe for throwing me out the window again and nearly giving me a heart attack? Or was it for saying you wish you had _never_ _met_ _me_?"

For the briefest second, her features are replaced by tan skin, blond hair, and sad, blue eyes. The image sends a shudder through him.

_Not good enough—_never_ good enough. _

A prickle of uneasiness that she has come to associate with that five letter word—_guilt_—trickles down her spine. Hiding her disconcertion beneath disinterest, she shrugs.

"You forgot 'sniveling little rat' and 'bumbling fool of a busybody.' And me trying to choke you to death."

Unconsciously, his hand lifts to his throat, where he fancies he can still feel that cold, burning energy slowly squeezing the life from him. When he catches her furtive glance, his hand drops back to his side limply.

"Thanks, that makes me feel _so_ much better," he snorts, dropping back to the ground with his knees drawn to his chest. "You still haven't answered my question. What do you want?"

_My friend back. _

"An answer," she says instead.

"You want an answer? Gee, don't we all." Despite the sarcasm, a hint of curiosity brightens the heaviness in his eyes. "What's the question?"

As she sinks to the ground beside him, muttering under her breath about the water soaking her cloak, the nearby seagulls take off into the air. They swiftly merge with the other flock and disappear into the distance. Rather than meet her gaze, he trains his eyes on the birds' flight.

"Why did you do it?" she finally asks, her rasping voice softer than usual.

His sigh is nearly lost in the pounding of the waves. Though his tears have dried, his eyes still feel raw and gritty, and he desperately hopes she attributes it to the ocean spray lightly splashing his face. It's bad enough that _he_ knows how pathetic he is; he doesn't need her to know, too.

"Because you're lonely," he answers, not daring to look at her. "Jeez, Rae. It's so obvious even _Robin_ noticed—and you know how zombie-ish he's been since he heard rumors about Slade resurfacing in Steel City. I'm just worried about you, that's all. I didn't think you'd freak out _that_ much."

Slender eyebrows rise in disbelief. "You set me up on a date with _Aqualad_. Yes, his looks are better than average, but he smells like dead fish and he's more obsessed with his hair than even Starfire. Uh, no thanks."

A grin spreads across his face. Hearing her reject Aqualad does funny things to his stomach.

"Besides," she adds more seriously, pinning him to the ground with her glare, "you have no right to interfere in my personal life, no matter how 'lonely' you think I am. Really, Beast Boy, I'm _fine_. And if you don't want to end up in another dimension, you'd better screw that head of yours on tight and stop meddling. You're not my mother."

_Not that Arella was either. _

"Maybe not, but I am your friend, Rae, and I hate seeing you lay around the Tower all day, every day, when we don't have any bad guy butt to kick. Cy's been spending more time with Bumblebee at Titans East, and when Star can drag Robin away from the evidence room, they're going out on dates and stuff. But you don't ever go anywhere with anyone. You just meditate or read a book in your room. Do you even watch TV?"

It is hard to restrain an eye roll at his disgust at the possibility of no television. True concern underlies his words, though, and she overlooks his drama.

"Look, Beast Boy, just because my calendar isn't full of social appointments doesn't mean I'm going off the deep end or anything. I like my alone time, okay? Starfire and I have bi-monthly 'girl time' together, I help Cyborg in the garage sometimes, and Robin and I share quiet time in the mornings before every else awakens."

"Yeah, you're totally the queen bee of Social High," he mutters, darting a look at her.

To his gratification, the corners of her mouth twitch upwards ever so slightly. They quickly slam downwards when she catches his lingering gaze.

"It's not like you're any better," she replies, the defensiveness in her voice surprising them both, "always sulking around the Ops. room listlessly because Cyborg's out and you don't want to play any solo games or watch television alone. Face it, Beast Boy: you're just as 'lonely' as I supposedly am. The only difference is, I haven't tried setting you up on a date. Not yet, at least."

"Not _yet?_ You wouldn't!"

Surely he misheard her. This is Raven, after all. She doesn't _do_ matchmaking, meddling, or dates—or anything remotely girly, for that matter. Any threat she issues is purely power-driven, such as an all expenses paid trip to another dimension. But a _date_? This is a whole new level of wicked.

It doesn't help that the smile she gives him is positively vampiric. Some unknown emotion gleams in her violet eyes as she tilts her head towards him slightly. It frightens him almost as much as four eyes and tentacles do.

"Shall we test that theory?"

In his head, two voices war for dominance.

_**What's the worst she can do? **_

_Uh, how about set me up on a date with a psycho fan?_ _Or maybe a serial killer? Ooh, I know! She could set me up with a dog again. Man, that was so awkward. I honestly didn't think she'd do it, though!_

_**Hey, that chocolate lab was kinda hot. **_

_Okay, so a dog wouldn't be so bad. But a hard-core fan? Dude, I've seen movies like that and they don't end well at all—at least not for the celebrity. The fan always gets a nice trophy for her shrine, so I guess it's not all bad. _

He stills, a new possibility occurring to him.

_What if she sets me up with Bumblebee? Or worse—_Jinx_. They'll eat me alive if I so much as _look_ at them! _

Shuddering, he hastily answers, "No! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! It was stupid and nosy of me, and I'm so sorry, just please don't do..._that_."

Inclining her head, she allows her expression to clear. Silence settles between them once more; it is the easy and comfortable quietness that they occasionally enjoy together, usually before they annoy each other again.

"Hey, Rae?"

_Three minutes, a new record for him. I'll have to inform Cyborg and Robin that they owe me ten dollars each. _

"Yes?"

He gives her a smile. "I guess since we're both lonely, we might as well be lonely together, huh?"

Across the bay, a street lamp implodes and a young woman jumps back with a scream, her miniature poodle cowering behind her legs.

"Yeah, I suppose so," she murmurs in reply, training her gaze on the rim of the setting sun. All of a sudden, her cloak begins to feel constrictive instead of comforting. "But you still have to explain to Aqualad why he came all the way from Titans East for no reason."

"Aw, _maaan_!"

* * *

**Does this make up for last chapter's lack of BB? Next two chapters feature them together, as well. Chapter 8, Aberration of Starlight, is just BB, but I think ya'll will forgive me when you read it. I can't wait until chapter 9, Critical Density! Ya'll will either squeal in delight or hunt me down with pitchforks ;) **

**_Inertia_ - The tendency of an object to continue moving at the same speed and in the same direction, unless acted upon by an outside force.**


	6. Inverse-Square Law

**Thanks to:**

** Gr****een Bunny for the review. _Eek!_ for the pitchfork, _Yay!_ for the like :)**

**TigerLily959 for the review. I'm so happy! I hope I don't disappoint.**

**DoeDaughter for the favorite and follow.**

**Blackcat160 for the follow.**

**HolyMaryMotherofGawd for the follow.**

**SociallyAwkwardOutcast for the follow.**

**Zakudeath for the follow.**

* * *

The battered, green gorilla alarm clock reads 3:42.

Outside his window, the sky is still dark, not even the moon daring to peak through the clouds. Inky blackness pervades his room, and he stifles a curse as he half stumbles, half trips his way to the door. Every step he takes shoots pain through a part of his body, be it the hand he smacks against the dresser's edge, the toe he stubs on the indistinguishable mass of pointy-ness in the floor, or the shoulder he bumps against the lamp stand he didn't know he had.

Every breath is laborious, rattling in his chest like loose change. His throat threatens to sew itself shut, while his squinted, gritty eyes water from the effort of piercing through the darkness.

"Dude," he croaks as his fumbling fingers finally find the door, "if this is what Dr. Light felt like last night, then I totally feel bad for laughing at his wheezing. Ohhh, kill me now, please."

The hallway is deserted, and his shuffling footsteps echo eerily around him. It reminds him too much of those horror movies where the good-looking comic relief guy always goes first. Swallowing thickly, wincing as the movement scraps at his raw throat, he shuffles towards the living room at a slightly faster pace.

_Death by freaky tentacle strangulation? Uh, no thanks. I'm way too young and good-looking. _

When he finally reaches the kitchen, his lungs decide to cease functioning, opting instead to wither up and die. A whimper gurgles up his raw throat. His head begins to pound, and it feels as if the room is spinning like he's on some kind of demented merry-go-ride.

_Oh, duuuude—I'm dying here. _

The fire simmering under his skin sends him on a frantic search for a glass of water. When his eyes alit on the familiar indigo mug resting on the dining table, he nearly weeps in relief. He scurries over to it, snatches it up, and darts to the sink, filling it to the brim with icy water.

The first few gulps sends the water sliding down his inflamed throat with no aftereffects, but when he slows down to savor the coolness, agony flares in the tissue and tears spring to his eyes.

_I want my mommy. _

.

.

As soon as he sees her lips touch the (unwashed) mug's rim, he knows he's in trouble.

_Oops._

It doesn't exactly help when all his mind can focus on—besides the cobra squeezing the air from his lungs and the tiny bees stinging his throat—is how her mouth is touching the same spot his had a few hours ago. The sight makes him go all tingly.

_I am so dead._

.

.

"Beast Boy?" she rasps the next day, her voice more gravelly than usual.

It's difficult to swallow, but he manages. "Y-Yeah, R-Rae?"

The misery and fury in her piercing violet gaze pins him to the sick bed. Her normally pale cheeks are flushed blotchy red, while a sheen of sweat gathers on her forehead. Strands of hair stick to her skin, and she angrily scraps them off every few seconds, only for them to fall back against her forehead.

"As soon as I feel well enough to not accidentally level the Tower, I'm going to kill you. _Slowly_."

He gives a nervous, hiccup-y laugh. "That's n-nice to know. Yeah...I'm totally gonna sleep good tonight heheh...heh...hehhh..."

_Forget keeping one eye open—I'll prop both open with tooth picks if I have to._

* * *

**I find myself settling into a style of sorts when I write these, which all but the first t****wo ****chapters share. Oh well. **

**_Inverse-Square Law_ - The law that a field follows if its strength decreases with the square of****the distance. Fields that follow the law decrease rapidly in strength as the distance increases, but never quite reach zero. **


	7. Interferometer

**Thanks to:**

**MusicRocks807 for the reviews. Yep, I have up to chapter 10 written, but I'm still putting the finishing touches on 8 and 10. **

**XionDemon for the favorite**

**PSI-Triforce for the favorites**

**GarLogan676 for the follow and favorite**

**WickedNavajo for the follow**

**Writer's Wrath for the follow**

**Cipher032 for the follow and favorites**

**theboredlittlenerd for the follow**

**Mr. P0P0 for the follow**

* * *

The sticky red x-thingy (his description, not her's) refuses to snap despite their combined efforts over the last eight minutes. Where the others are at, they have no idea and really can't bring themselves to care unless one of them knows how to break the blasted mess that encases them.

"Why is it always _us_?" he whines, wiggling in a vain effort to free his left arm, which is trapped beneath her all too bare right leg. "Seriously, it's like he hates us."

She bares her teeth in a savageness that she usually refuses to show. "Well, _maybe_ if you hadn't jumped on his back and tried to pull his mask off, screaming "Jason Todd, Jason Todd, Jason Todd!" at the top of your lungs, we wouldn't be _in_ this situation."

"But I wanted to _kno-ow_! It's killing me. I know you're curious, too, Rae—just admit it already!"

Frustration, directed at both him and the entire situation, bubbles to the surface like blistering lava.

"That's...not...my..._NAME_!"

With a _crack!_ negative energy explodes throughout the warehouse, washing over Beast Boy as cold and enveloping as a shadow itself. The sticky goo encasing them instantly disintegrates, and he collapses to the ground, spread-eagle like.

Dazed, he weakly pats his limbs to make sure they are all there. Finding that they are, he moans in relief and pain as tingles spread throughout his body.

"Duuude! I feel like electrified jello."

And isn't it just sad that she understands exactly what he means? She sinks to the floor and cradles her head in her palms.

_I need a vacation. For the sake of all humanity, I _need_ a vacation._"Hey, Rae, you think Robin would be really mad if we just stayed here and let them deal with Red X?"

Not bothering to lift her head, she proceeds to tell him, in a voice that—while muffled—seethes with agitation, exactly what their illustrious leader can do with Red X and, as soon as Starfire leaves, to himself. It's nice to have such an extensive vocabulary at moments like this.

A few seconds pass.

"Thanks, Rae. Now I'll never look at Robin's bō staff the same way again. 'Ouch,' that's all I've got to say. Just..._ouch_."

* * *

**I don't know about the ending. It feels so, so to me. Anyways, sorry for the shortness. ****Aberration of Starlight is next, the first chapter I based off a series episode. Any guesses on which one?**

**_Interferometer_ - Collection of two or more telescopes working together as a team, observing the same object at the same time and wavelength. **


	8. Aberration of Starlight

**Thanks to:**

**Dis-Appearing Writer for the review. Hehe ;)**

**MusicRocks807 for another lovely review. I hope this chapter lives up to expectation!**

**xXBramblezXx for the follow and favorite**

**Melty94 for the favorites, follows, and review. Thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying it :) And I would be honored if you drew a fan art for this!**

**WhiteRaven49 for the follow**

**Zinnia99 for the follow**

* * *

It was just a hug. If it was from anyone else, he wouldn't think twice about it. Friends hug each other all the time, especially after a traumatizing experience (he figures releasing your book-bound boyfriend, only to realize he's really a dragon that wants to destroy you, classifies as "traumatizing"). It didn't even last long, so why is he obsessing about it?

She hugged him.

She hugged_ him._

_She_ hugged him.

She _hugged_ him.

A hug from her is practically a declaration that the world is ending. It just isn't _like_ her to seek comfort from anyone, much less the physical kind. She is the type to bottle everything up until it literally explodes out of her. It isn't healthy in any kind of way, but it's _Raven_.

"Dude, it's four in the morning," he moans to himself, flinging an arm across his eyes. "Go to sleep already."

—_her arms thrown around his neck—_

—_her lavender shampoo—_

—_her face pressed to his shoulder—_

—_her big girl self flush with his torso—_

His growl echoes in the silent room. "This is stupid! It was _just_ a hug."

Yeah, and King Kong is _just_ a big ape.

_Agh! Get it together, man! She obviously trusts you now, so don't you dare blow it by reading too much into this. If she gets a whiff of what you're thinking, she'll rip you apart and fling your body parts to fifteen different dimensions. _

Cringing, he rolls over on his side and stares at the door. Images of her door sliding open rush back to his mind unbidden, and he swallows against a dry mouth.

Half of him is relieved that Cyborg interrupted them because _who_ _knows_ what would have happened, and _oh jeez_, he's going to either throw up or choke on his saliva.

After several minutes of gulping air and half-heartedly slapping his cheeks, he admits that the other half of him resents the interruption. It was the first time she reached out to anyone for physical comfort, and thinking how she chose _him_ out of the entire team makes the silliest grin stretch across his face.

"Sheesh, Cy's right. I _am_ pathetic."

That doesn't stop inane pleasure from flooding him. Feeling his cheeks heat, he shakes his head, rolls back over on his back and stares up at the bottom of the top bunk.

"_Raven? It's me. Look, I'm sorry."_

"_For what? You're not the one who..."_

"_No, I'm sorry that...he broke your heart."_

"_I know it was all a lie, but he was the only person who ever made me feel like I wasn't...creepy. And don't try to tell me I'm not."_

"_Okay, fine. You're waaay creepy, but that doesn't mean you have to stay locked in your room. You think you're alone, Raven, but you're not."_

He groans. "Man, stop doing this to yourself. Get a grip already! You were there for her, so she hugged you—end of story. You've hugged her plenty of times before. Why should this be any different?"

_Because it was always _me_ reaching out to _her_, never her reaching out to me. She chose to hug me; she chose to show her vulnerability to me. That's a really big step for her. I'm...I'm proud of her. _

A small, shy smile plays across his mouth as he relives the second that soft sigh of release escaped her before she took a step forward and dragged him against her.

Remembering how he froze at her touch sends a pang of regret shooting through him. Shock, and something a little harder to put a name to, overwhelmed him too much for him to return the hug, let alone formulate coherent thought about it.

—_her cheek brushing against the sensitive shell of his ear—_

—_her delicate hands curling around his shoulder—_

—_the thump of her heartbeat overshadowing his own flat-lining heart— _

When he awakens the next morning to Robin's impatient banging on the door, the scent of lavender and incense lingers around him still.

* * *

**So, the episode this is based on is Spellbound, where Raven hugs Beast Boy. I love ****that ****moment! Anyways, I wanted to explore BB's feelings afterwards, seeing as Cy interrupted them. Do ya'll think I did okay capturing his emotions/thoughts? **

**Finally, the chapter I've been waiting for, Critical Density, is up next.**

**_Aberration of Starlight_ - Small shift in the observed direction to a star, caused by Earth's motion perpendicular to the line of sight.**


	9. Critical Density

**Thanks to:**

**Matt-Robinette for the favorite and follow.**

**ohheylizet for the favorite and follow.**

**EvanderKes for the follow.**

**Dis-Appearing Writer for another lovely review.**

**MusicRocks807 for the awesome review. **

**TeenTitansFanForever02 for the great review.**

_**(The chapter titles do matter, for those who are interested)**_

* * *

**Dear,**

Two lines slash at the word ruthlessly.

**Beast Boy,**

Exhaling harshly through her nose, she debates whether she should have left the "Dear." In the end, the shaft of pain that shoots through her chest decides for her. The word remains struck through vehemently.

**What in Azar's name was that?**

Again, she pauses, searching her mind for the common sense she so effortlessly called upon before last night. Her pen quickly crosses out the sentence, symbolically rearranging her thoughts toward a more proper direction.

**I don't know what to think. **

No, that won't work, either. Why is this so hard?

**We need to talk about—**

How can one mistake affect her so much? Gritting her teeth, she forces her hand to touch pen to paper once more.

**The other night was a mistake. You know as well as I that it should not have happened. I should not have kissed you back. **No, no, no, no! That last sentence is a disaster, she is sure of it. It has to go

**Please do not attempt to talk to me about it; talking will... **

Will what?

**...only hurt us more. **

"Oh for Azar's sake," she growls, once again inking out the phrase. "Can lightning just strike me down already? That would be less painful than this by a multiple of ten."

**...make things worse,** she writes instead. Then, when that also seems too revealing, it disappears joins its companions beneath black scribbling.

**...not change anything.**

There. That's much better.

**Your emotions clouded my judgment. **

Any mention of emotions is a bad idea. Besides, she didn't want to force the blame on him; it was her fault for giving in to temptation, hormones, and displaced caring.

**My control slipped and my emotions acted on their own. **

Again, she can't write that. Something to do with putting it behind themis infinitely wiser.

**I do not have feelings for you. **

As much as she regrets what happened, she can't hurt him like that. The sentence has to go.

**The battle affected our emotions and we were not thinking clearly. **

Now she was getting somewhere, despite using the word "emotions."

**It cannot mean anything. **

No, it _didn't_ mean anything.

**It meant nothing. **

Her heartbeat pounds in her ears and the vase on her nightstand shudders in the stillness.

**I'm sorry.**

No.

**Yours truly, **

No, no.

**Sincerely,**

No, no, no.

**Regards,**

No, no, no, NO!

**Thank you,**

Frustration mounts behind her eyes and she grits her teeth to keep in the animalistic growl.

She _will_ do this...she has to.

The right word suddenly comes to her like a flash of lightning. The pen flies across the page, hurrying to put her thoughts into words.

**Cordially,**

**Raven **

As her eyes scan the paper critically, she nods. It will have to do. Now all she has to do is copy the sentences she kept onto a fresh piece of paper. The current page is nothing more than illegible scribbles and venomous gouges.

The finished project is shorter and choppier than she thought it would be after she rearranges a few parts. This is how she likes it, though: short and to the point. There is nothing for him to misunderstand, no loopholes for either of them to slip through.

**Beast Boy, **

**The other night was a mistake. You know as well as I that it should not have happened. Please do not attempt to talk to me about it; talking will not change anything. The battle affected our emotions and we were not thinking clearly. It meant nothing. We must put it behind us and move on with our lives as fellow superheroes and teammates. **

**Cordially, **

**Raven **

A sigh fills the silence. Swallowing the next one before it can leave her throat, she folds the page neatly and glides out the door. As she goes, her darkened, simmering hood rises to cover her face.

The walk to his room is interminably long. The hallway stretches before her, seemingly urging her to turn back. Heedless of its whispers, she strides forward determinedly. However, when she finally reaches his door, her legs jerk forward while her feet remain planted firmly five feet away with no intention of moving. She clenches her jaw. Negative energy sizzles in the back of her mind seductively, but she forces it down to manageable levels.

The name written across the door makes her stomach clench.

Why must things change? She was content with her life before this. Now she cannot go two minutes without wanting to either touch him or shove him away, either for his safety or for her's. From disinterest to...to what exactly?

The feelings crackle in her chest like a fire. Their warmth spreads through her veins and tingles in her extremities. Behind the forefront goodness of the feelings is the darkness of the unknown.

_I'm not afraid_, she silently chants. _I'm not afraid._

Resolutely, refusing the hesitation lingering in her mind, she lifts her fisted hand to his door. It pauses there, poised to draw him forth. Still, she makes no move to press it against the metal. Insecurity overwhelms her decisiveness, and she sucks in a swift breath.

_I'm NOT AFRAID. _

Before she can stop herself, she snatches her fist back and whirls around, ready to retreat to the safety of her room. Plagued with self-loathing, she hurries down the hall. The rhythmic _thump_, _thump_, _thump_, _thump_ of her boots drum against her forehead. Feeling the letter crinkle in her tightening fist, she swallows the coiled tension in the back of her throat and forces her hand to loosen.

Now walking at a cool, unhurried pace, she allows indifference to slip across her face. Expression shadowed by her raised hood, she lightly shrugs her shoulder at the futility of her reaction. Nevertheless, necessary or not, the apathetic façade is comforting. Years of practice have created a notch for it, and it now slides in place like an oiled door, smooth and soundless—effortless, even. Still, with no lock, there remains a possibility of a breeze flinging it open once more.

Emotions secured beneath the mask, the letter nothing more than paper, she strolls around the corner. There, her eyes alight on her teammate, lounging against her door with arms crossed and bottom lip sucked between his teeth. His fang juts out comically, though laughter is farthest from her mind.

She stops and stares.

Seeing her, he straightens hurriedly and nearly trips over his sneakers. Tufts of his hair are sticking up, something she cannot help but find offensive.

_How dare he look the same. How dare he not be as affected as I am._

Brow furrowing, she inhales a slow, measured breath. This is the first time she has consciously acknowledged any effects lingering from that night.

_I will not be afraid. I'm _not_ afraid. _

Across from her, he nervously smoothes away the hair falling in his eyes. It hangs there despite his efforts to push it back, and he finally admits defeat with a punctured sigh. Shoulders slumping and head lowering, he peeks at her from under the strand tips.

The shadows hiding her face annoy him.

"Good to know some things don't change, right, Rae?" he bites out, the touch of cynicism surprising even him. "I guess I can always count on you to hide from everything that scares you...even me."

For a moment, she is silent. He fancies that he sees her struggling for words. Then her gaze narrows, and despite the hood, he can see her eyes darken. Her mouth moves to reply.

"Everything changes, given enough time. It's a fact of life. You should acquaint yourself with it quickly or it will hit you between the eyes and you'll never know what happened. Of course, you're in no danger of being hurt, what with that thick head of yours," she retorts impassively.

Something white peeks through her fist, nearly hidden by her cloak. Before he can peer closer, she notices his attention and tucks her hand within the darkened folds.

Disappointment rushes at him again.

I may have a thick head," he replies coolly, "but my skin—and my patience—is wearing pretty thin. Like you said, things change." His inhale is slightly harsher than normal. "Robin says we have training tomorrow. Thought you might wanna know."

She is motionless as he walks away from her. When she deems him to be far enough down the hall, she eases her fist out of her cloak and studies the crumpled paper in her palm. His name leers at her.

"Beast Boy," she whispers to the empty hall. "I..."

_...am afraid. _

* * *

**I'm so sorry for the delay! Now that classes have started back up, I've been running here and there, driving myself cazy trying to get everything done. My first English paper of the year was due two days ago, and I'm still peeling off the anxiety from that.**

**Anyways, do ya'll hate me, love me, or barely tolerate me for this? Originally, this chapter was written in Microsoft Word (which, bless it, allows strikethrough and double strikethrough formatting that looked much better than what Fanfiction formatting forced me to redo this as) for another story that I've decided to tear apart since it wasn't really going anywhere, and use bits and pieces of it here. **

**Should I attempt the infamous kiss scene? I warn you, it might not be pretty if I do! Otherwise, this is probably the last chapter, at least for a while. **

**_Critical Density_ - The cosmic density corresponding to the dividing line between a universe that recollaspes and one that expands forever. **


	10. Precession

**Thanks to:**

**HolyMaryMotherofGod for the review**

**MusicRocks807 for another wonderful review**

**Nyah for the review**

**ohheylizet for the review**

**TigerLily957 for another wonderful review**

**Wicked Navajo for the review**

**Dis-Appearing Writer for another wonderful review****s**

** jonathan . rojas . 3705 for the favorite and follow**

**Official****lyRhiannon for the favorite and follow**

**C . J. Robbins for the favorite and follow**

** taylor . allen . 14661 for the follow**

**(Sorry if I had to alter your name. It was done because it automatically deleted anything before the periods) **

* * *

The tip of his pinky nearly touches the large, pale hand sprawled on the bed sheet. His mouth twists as he regards the hand's even nails, cuticles well maintained but bearing the wear of toil. A blue vein weaves its way up a finger. He follows the path with his eyes, and a dull pang shoots through him as he remembers snorting with laughter at the paper cut that sliced that exact spot so many years ago.

Behind him, the dingy gray wall clock ticks away the seconds.

_Tic._

One second.

_Toc._

Another.

_Tic._

One more.

_Toc._

That's four now.

_Eight hundred and four...eight hundred and five...eight hundred and six..._

To most any ear, the sound would drown in the machines' beeping and his heart's _thud_, _thud_, _thud_ding. It would merely be more noise in a sea of it—nothing special.

To him, though, it's as loud as the rattling of the jackhammer outside against the concrete sidewalk, the rustling of his clothes every time he shifts positions, the soft puffing of his breath. The sounds bleed together, a discord in his chest, yet each retains potency and significance.

The rhythmic beeping means the heart is pumping.

The oxygen machine's _gasp_, _sigh_ means air is flowing into the lungs.

The _click_, _clack_ of high heels on tile down the hall means visiting hours haven't ended.

The jarring chorus of tools on the street below means life doesn't stop at these four walls.

The _tic_,_ tic_,_ tic_ and the _toc_, _toc_, _toc_ of the clock means time is running out for them.

A tear slides down his cheek. He draws in a ragged breath and swipes it away hurriedly, before the man lying in the bed can see.

_Superheroes don't cry, Beast Boy. They have more important things to do. Now suck it up and tuck in your lip like a man—like a superhero. There you go. Just like that. _

The lip wobbles.

_I'm sorry_, he tells the man in his head. _I'm sorry I wasn't good enough. I'm sorry I couldn't be who you wanted me to be. But most of all...I'm sorry I wasn't there._

The door cracks open and a person slips inside before gently shutting it behind her. He senses the words on her lips, but she holds them back for his sake, a gesture that makes his eyes burn once more.

_Thank you_, he tells her, and he knows she hears. Her ears have always been open to him if he had only bothered to listen in return.

Sliding into the chair beside him, she allows her hand to brush against his shoulder for the briefest of seconds. The contact sends a jolt through him. She feels him tense, and bows her head, the curtain of her hair veiling her face.

"I told him it wasn't safe," he whispers, throat raw and voice creaky. "I told him to stop, to tell Rita, to do something about it. But he wouldn't listen—he never listened. Why didn't he just _listen to me_?"

A heartbeat passes. "Maybe he was afraid." Taking his silence as permission to continue, she inhales a steadying breath. "He depended on it; it was his life, the symbol of his role as superhero. Without it, what was he? Merely a man."

"He was a husband," he interjects softly. "A friend, a brother. He could have been a father, was one in some ways. Now he's nothing. A shell, a body without a mind. He's...he's _gone_."

Another heartbeat, and his pain is her pain. They mingle in her chest, so consuming that she nearly gasps. She does clutch at her chest beneath her cloak, however, and his shoulders drop in guilt.

"Not gone," she corrects as soon as she can draw breath again. "His mind is...wandering. When Monsieur Mallah shattered the helmet, Mento's mind was overwhelmed by the effort of exercising that much psi power without a focus. His brain...overloaded, I suppose, like a computer. It shut down to repair itself. That's why he is in a coma now instead of dead."

His jaw clenches. "A big improvement."

"It is. Would you rather he never have a chance to recover? This way, his brain can rework the pathways without interference. It might take weeks, months, even years. But he will come out of this, Beast Boy. I can feel it."

_But will he be the same? Will he be...him?_

Though he doesn't voice his questions, she feels them in the air.

"I don't know," she answers quietly. "I simply don't know. But whatever happens..." Her hand moves to rest upon his. "...you won't face it alone."

* * *

**This...came out of nowhere. I was working on ideas for a kiss scene, not specifically "the" kiss scene, when _BAM!_ This grabbed me and refused to let go. Like it? Hate it? **

**Anyways, I am so sorry for the delay. I ran out of wifi data for this past month, and I only now received more. Time for a plan upgrade, yeah? **

**_Precession_: The slow change in the direction of a spinning object's rotation axis, caused by some external gravitational influence. **


End file.
